Even if you are a healthy male aged 50 years and above, the chance of developing prostate enlargement, or Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH), are 50 percent. BPH is a common condition that affects men as they age and is characterized by frequent urination at night, straining during urination, weak or slow urine flow, urinary retention, dribbling, and poor sleep quality. While prostate health naturally declines with age, adopting a healthy diet, an active lifestyle, and incorporating targeted nutritional supplements can help mitigate this process.
Several nutritional supplements, including zinc, beta-sitosterol, vitamin D, pygeum root extract, and pumpkin seed, have been shown to support prostate health. Saw palmetto, in particular, is one of the most widely used nutritional supplements for addressing an enlarged prostate. This article explains saw palmetto extract benefits, how it supports prostate functions, and how it alleviates prostate enlargement to provide relief from urinary discomfort. Use the links below to jump ahead to different topics on the page.
What is Saw Palmetto?
Saw palmetto, or Serenoa repens, is a small, shrublike palm native to the southeastern United States. It is also called the American dwarf palm or cabbage palm. Traditionally, Native Americans used the plant’s ripe berries as a staple food, as well as a medicine for various ailments.
Currently, saw palmetto is widely used as a nutritional supplement in men’s health to address urinary symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate or BPH. Additionally, saw palmetto is used for hair loss, pelvic pain, and other hormonal imbalances in both men’s and women’s health. .
Active Compounds in Saw Palmetto
How does saw palmetto address BPH? The benefits of saw palmetto extract are derived from the active compounds present in the plant’s ripe berries. These berries are rich in carbohydrates, lipid components (major fatty acids, including laurate, myristate, palmitate, stearate, oleate, and linoleate), and phytosterols (campesterol, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol).
Commercially available saw palmetto supplements are usually extracted using solvents, such as ethyl alcohol, hexane, and supercritical carbon dioxide. The plant’s active constituents present in saw palmetto fruit extracts are categorized as follows:
- Hexane extractable: It includes phenolic components, free fatty acids, phytosterols, ethyl esters of fatty acids, and other lipid components. The hexane extract of saw palmetto fruit is most commonly used in clinical trials and has a very high content of medium-chain fatty acids and a high proportion of fatty acids present as ethyl esters.
- Ethanol extractable: It includes flavonoid components, polyprenol , fatty alcohols, and phenolic glycosides.
- Water soluble: These include commonly found sugars and high-molecular-weight acidic polysaccharides.
Saw Palmetto Extract Benefits
Extensive research has been conducted on saw palmetto’s role in promoting prostate health.* Its role in hormonal regulation is closely associated with benefiting men’s health–enhancing sperm production, relieving urinary discomfort, and limiting hair loss.* The following table highlights the benefits of saw palmetto extract and how they support healthy aging.*
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Saw Palmetto Extract Benefits |
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Some research2,3 suggests that saw palmetto phytosterols (campesterol, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol) also inhibit 5 alpha-reductase, providing further benefit for addressing BPH symptoms.* |
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It is also worth noting that saw palmetto extract does not appear to cause inaccurate readings of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) — a protein produced by the prostate gland. PSA levels are used to screen for malignancy in prostate cells. This is a significant consideration, as some treatments for prostate health may affect PSA readings, potentially complicating cancer screenings. This feature makes it a safe option for supporting prostate health.
Types of Saw Palmetto Supplements
Traditionally, saw palmetto as a nutritional supplement has been used in the form of whole fruit, teas, aqueous extracts, and tinctures. Lipid/sterol extracts of the saw palmetto fruits are now more widely available. The phytosterol and fatty acids content of saw palmetto supplements vary depending on the supplement type and formulation. The following are the different types of commercially available saw palmetto supplements:
- Dried whole fruit: The dried saw palmetto berries are eaten whole or are used to make herbal tea or water extract. Dried berry supplements contain 11-13% fatty acids.
- Lipid/sterol extracts: The lipid/sterol extract of saw palmetto (LESP) is prepared by extraction with hexane, ethanol, or supercritical fluid extraction with liquid carbon dioxide. LESPs are commonly available as tablets or capsules of a dried powder of the extract and are often combined with other powdered botanical extracts for blended preparations. LESPs are standardized by total fatty acid content varying between 70-95 percent.
- Liquid tinctures: Liquid tinctures are made with saw palmetto extracts and aqueous ethanol as the solvent and contain a negligible amount of fatty acids.
Safety of Saw Palmetto Supplements
Saw palmetto supplements are well-tolerated by most users, and no serious adverse side effects have been reported. It may cause mild and short-term side effects such as headache, stomach upset, nausea, and fatigue. Limited data on the safety and side effects of saw palmetto in women or children exists, although it can be contraindicated for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. There is not enough research on saw palmetto benefits for conditions other than BPH and for relief of urinary symptoms, and results have been inconclusive at establishing standardized care protocols.
It is important to note that tannic acid, one of the phenolic compounds in saw palmetto, is thought to inhibit iron absorption by complex formation with iron in the gastrointestinal lumen. For the above reasons, it is always recommended to consult with your healthcare provider before including a saw palmetto supplement in your diet.
Why You Need An Advanced Saw Palmetto Supplement Formulation
The efficacy of commercially available saw palmetto formulations differs based on their:
- Added ingredients: Added ingredients, such as pygeum root extract and pumpkin seed oil base, increase the total phytosterol content in the formulation.
- Fatty acid and phytosterol content: The fatty acid content of a saw palmetto supplement formulation determines its efficacy in inhibiting the action of 5 alpha-reductase.
- Nutrient delivery technology: Advanced nutrient delivery technology, such as cyclodextrins, enhances the bioavailability and absorption of active nutrients.
An advanced supplement formulation would contain a blend of saw palmetto extract and other botanical extracts delivered through an innovative nutrient delivery technology to achieve maximum benefit of saw palmetto extract for prostate health.*
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Saw Palmetto Supplements
The following are frequently asked questions (FAQs) about saw palmetto supplements:
Can I take a saw palmetto supplement daily?
Clinical research has explored the effect of daily intake of 320 mg of saw palmetto extract in 2 divided doses for 24 weeks, increasing it to 640 mg/day for the next 24 weeks and finally, to 960 mg for the final 24 weeks in addressing BPH symptoms. Although the safety profile of saw palmetto extracts is well-established, it is recommended to consult with your healthcare provider to determine the appropriate daily use and intake period.
Is it safe to take a saw palmetto supplement with prescription medicines?
Saw palmetto supplements may interfere with iron absorption and can have potential contraindications with certain medications, such as blood thinners. It is recommended to consult with your healthcare provider before taking a saw palmetto supplement with prescription medications or with other BPH supplements.
How do I determine an advanced saw palmetto formulation?
An advanced formulation is characterized by optimal bioavailability and absorption, which better achieves the benefits of saw palmetto extracts. Tesseract Medical Research’s ProstaSorb® SR formula is a hypoallergenic blend of three clinically tested extracts: saw palmetto, Pygeum africanum, and Cucurbita pepo (Summer pumpkin).
Tesseract’s proprietary CyLoc® —DexKey® nutrient delivery nanotechnology enhances the palatability, bioavailability, and absorption of saw palmetto’s active ingredients, making the formulation one of the best BPH supplements. The CyLoc® technology encapsulates the nutrient molecules to maintain their integrity during transit through the stomach. The accompanying DexKey® reactors release the active nutrient molecules at the desired point in the intestinal tract.
The optimal absorption of the active nutrients in saw palmetto extract accomplished through Tesseract’s smart delivery technology enables micro-dosing, which means a lower amount of active nutrients is needed to provide advanced prostate and urinary support.* ProstaSorb® is Tesseract’s answer to providing nutritional support for addressing BPH-associated urinary discomfort and promoting healthy aging.*
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in enhancing palatability, maximizing absorption and bioavailability, and micro-dosing multiple nutrients in a single, highly effective capsule. Shop products on our website and learn more about how they support prostate health andhealthy aging.*
Citations:
1Pais P. Potency of a novel saw palmetto ethanol extract, SPET-085, for inhibition of 5alpha-reductase II. Advances in Therapy vol. 27,8 (2010):555-563. doi:10.1007/s12325-010-0041-6
2Abe M, et al. Pharmacologically relevant receptor binding characteristics and 5alpha-reductase inhibitory activity of free Fatty acids contained in saw palmetto extract. Biol Pharm Bull. 2009;32(4):646-650. doi:10.1248/bpb.32.646
3Scholtysek C, et al. Characterizing components of the Saw Palmetto Berry Extract (SPBE) . . . . Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications vol. 379,3 (2009):795-798. doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.11.114
4Wessagowit V, et al. Treatment of male androgenetic alopecia with topical products containing Serenoa repens extract.” The Australasian Journal of Dermatology vol. 57,3 (2016): e76-82. doi:10.1111/ajd.12352
5Prager N, et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of botanically derived inhibitors of 5-alpha-reductase in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia [published correction appears in J Altern Complement Med. 2006 Mar;12(2):199]. J Altern Complement Med. 2002;8(2):143-152. doi:10.1089/acm.2002.8.143
6Gupta AK, Talukder M, Bamimore MA. Natural products for male androgenetic alopecia. Dermatol Ther. 2022;35(4):e15323. doi:10.1111/dth.15323
7Bernichtein , et al. [P]roperties of lipidosterolic extract of Serenoa repens (Permixon®) in a mouse model of prostate hyperplasia. The Prostate vol. 75,7 (2015): 706-722. doi:10.1002/pros.22953
8Andriole GL, et al. The effect of increasing doses of saw palmetto fruit extract on serum prostate specific antigen: analysis of the CAMUS randomized trial. The Journal of Urology vol. 189,2 (2013): 486-92. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2012.09.037
